Tooth-brush.



H. H. PHILLIPS.

TOOTH BRUSH. APPLiUATION FILED NOV. 1, 1913.

W/T/VESSES:

Patented Mar. 16, 1915.

nnrr an HELENE H. PHILLIPS, 0F WES ICHESTER COUNTY, YORK.

TOOTH-BRUSH.

menses.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Minn". M5, 1915..

Application filed November 1, 18,13. Serial E0. 783,633

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HELENE H. PHILLIPS, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of the county of Westchester and State of New 1 ork, andWhose post-oflice address is Hotel Gramatan, Bronxville, New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Tooth-Brushes, set forthin the following specification.

This invention relates to tooth brushes, and more particularly to toothbrushes wherein the handle and brush portions are readily detachable inorder that when one brush has become worn it may be easily replaced.Such a construction also provides for the use of different styles ofbrushes with the same handle and, further, makes it practicable to use arelatively costly handle without, in the long run, entailing appreciablymore than ordinary expense.

()ne of the objects thereof is to provide a simple, practical andinexpensive brush of the character described.

A further object is to provide a separable tooth brush of such. aconstruction that the removal of the brush portion may be accomplishedquite simply by merely pulling away from the handle, without twisting orturning; and that will insure the parts remaining secure and immovablewhen the brush is in use.

This invention accordingly consists of the features of construction,combinations of elements and arrangement of parts which will beexemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope ofthe application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings wherein is shown one of the variouspossible embodiments of my invention: Figure 1 is a side elevation; Fig.2 is a plan View of the back of the brush with the ornamental bandremoved; F ig: 3 is a view showing the backs of both parts of the brushwhen detached, the joint being shown in section. Fig. i is an enlargedcross-section on line 4% of Figs. 2 and3. Fig. 5 is an enlarged view ofthe retaining spring.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout theseveral-views of the drawings.

Before describing the invention in detail, it may be noted that aseparable tooth brush, in order to be of any practical value, must beconstructed in so simple a manner as to cause the user a minimum oftrouble in the removal and renewal of the brush head. Thus it must befree from looking members requiring manipulation; and yet the partsvmust be relatively immovable and rigid when frequent use which is at allcomplicated or which requires even a limited degree of skill inhandling.

Now referring to the drawings, the tooth brush is seen to consist of abrush-head 1 and handle 2, joined together by a simple but eflicientslip or push joint. The line of the joint is indicated at 3 in Fig. 2,and in Fig. l the disclosure shows the joint protected and concealed bya band 4-, which may be made in a any suitable design or of any desiredmaterial;" It is to be understood, that instead of having the adjoiningsurfaces meet in direct abutment, they may be beveled so as to fit onevwithin the other to form a tapered union of the parts; or be formed indifl'erent ways to vary the external appearance at the joint.

By reference to Figs. 3 and 4: it will be seen that the handle 2is'provided with an axial opening or chamber 5 extending inwardly fromthe joint surface 6. This opening is shown circular in cross-section andof uniform diameter, but it will be understood that its cross-sectionmay be diderent in shape, and the bore tapering, if desired, withoutdeparting from the scope of my invention. 'llhe brush-head projectsbeyond the joint surface thereof to form a tongue or male element 7adapted to fit within the socket or female element 5, and to be embracedsnugly therein.

is composed of a strip of any suitable mate- Said tongue is 1 grooved asat 8 to provide clearance for the rial bent upon itself as at 12, toprovide two legs 13, each of which is bent inwardly, as at 11, andoffset at the end, as at 14:. The spring is introduced in the opening 5,closed end first, and pushed down until the ends spring into recesses 15rovided in the walls of the opening to receive them. The. position ofthe inserted spring is such that the legs thereof serve as guides forthe tongue 7 during its insertion or withdrawal and, when the brush-headis in place in the handle, the convexities of the spring enter theconcavities of the grooves. As the spring may be readily distorted underpressure, it will yield as the'brush-head is forced into the handle, andwill spring into place when the parts'come into position. The spring isof suflicient strength and resiliency to hold the said partsimmovableduring normal use of the brush, and to permit of thebrushheadbeing separated from the handle by a pull straight awaytherefrom.

It is to be noted that the spring is retained wholly and completelyconcealed within the socket 5, so that its existence is not apparentfrom the exterior of the brush, and the smooth surface of the handleremains unbroken.

As many changes could be made in vthe above construction 'and manyapparently Widely different embodiments of this inven-.

tion couldbe made without departing from the scope thereof, it isintended that all matter contained 'in the above description or shown inthe accompanying drawings shall be'interpreted as illustrative and notin a limiting sense. a

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by United StatesLetters Patent is 1. In an article of the class described, thecombination of a handle having a longitudinally disposed bore, afriction clamp comprising paired and oppositely disposed spring armsanchored within the bore, a

brush head, and a shank extending from said brush-head havinglongitudinal grooves formed therein adapted to engage said spring arms.

2. In an article of'the class described, the combination of a handlehaving a longitudinally disposed bore, a friction clamp comprising anelastic strip anchored in the bore and having an inwardly extendingresilient detent, a brush head, a shank extending from said brush headhaving a longitudinally extending groove formed therein adapted toengage said strip and a recess in said groove adapted to receive saiddetent.

3. in an article of the class described, the

combination of a handle having a longitudinally disposed bore, afriction clamp comprising oppositely disposed and connected springmembers having inwardly extending detents between their, ends andanchoring projections at their ends, said projections engaging saidbore, a brush head, a shank extending from said brush headhavinglongitudinal grooves therein and a recess in each of said grooves, thesaid grooves and recesses being adapted respectively to engage thespring members and detents.

In witness whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses.

WILLIAM J. ALLEN, HENRY HAUSSEL.

